What is a Trackless Water Massage Bed?

As you explore the different types of water massage beds and lounge chairs available for sale, you’ll probably hear things like “capsule-type system” or “trackless water massage” and wonder what it all means.

It can be a little confusing at times, but it’s good to have a basic understanding of the key differences prior to purchasing, so here’s a quick 2-minute overview.

For starters, any water massage bed or lounge chair that you (or your clients) try should feel good the first time you use it. That’s its job, right?

However, the key question you ask yourself when trying the model you’re considering is, “Is this hydro massage system impressive enough that I would want to drive out of my way to go use this every day?”

Because when you’re investing in new equipment, the last thing you want to do is buy something that doesn’t make 99% of people say, “Wow, I love it! When can I come back to use this again?”

Here’s a few of the key things you should consider:

Open vs Closed Design: Some water massage beds have a “capsule” design, while others have an “open” design. You may have seen the capsule-type water massage beds in the middle of a mall or in Las Vegas. They have been very popular in these places. In contrast, the open style designs are more commonly found in health and fitness clubs, chiropractic offices, physical therapy clinics, spas, and tanning salons. The main difference between the two is whether you (or your clients) would prefer to get inside the water massage bed and be touched on all sides of the body, or lie on top of the unit in a more open setting. Some users report claustrophobic tendencies with the capsule designs.

Water Cooling System. This is a little counter-intuitive because you want a warm water massage, right? That’s true, but as your water massage bed or chair is used throughout the day, the friction of the water creates heat all by itself. So in order to keep using the system without it overheating, the concern isn’t keeping the water warm; it’s actually cooling the water to maintain the desired temperature. Bottom line, be sure to ask how strong the cooling system is, and if it can run all day long in an enclosed room.

Travelling Jet Systems vs Trackless Massage. This is a pretty simple concept. “Travelling jet systems” move up and down the body like a wave, allowing you to select the exact points where you would like to concentrate the massage. You can adjust pressure of the massage, select the speed at which the jets travel, and even pause the massage on any points where you want to focus. In contrast, “trackless” water massage beds have stationary jets that stay in the same position and turn on / off during the massage.

Several trackless water massage systems were first developed between 1994 and the early 2000s in an effort to reduce the product cost, but feedback led us away from this design concept, as users either reported feeling “itchy”, or that the hydro massage felt great for 5-minutes but they got a little tired of it since the jets kept hitting the same areas. Also the rotating jets used in trackless hydro massage beds tend to get stuck and need service more often.

Original trackless water massage systems (between 1994 and the early 2000s):

2000 HydroMassage model. 4 trackless pulsating jets

2002 HydroMassage model 9 trackless, pulsating jets

At HydroMassage, 15+ unique generations of water massage beds and chairs have been developed over the past 27+ years; continuously focusing on design, ease of maintenance, and most importantly, overall massage experience. Currently there are eight different models available for all different budgets and user preferences.

Here are the latest HydroMassage Bed and Lounge models:

HydroMassage 340 – 350 Bed models

HydroMassage 440 – 450 Lounge Chair models

Our engineers ask the same question every day that you should be asking yourself: “Is this massage impressive enough that I would drive out of my way to use this again and again?”

So before purchasing, make sure you try the different models you’re considering, and talk to other people who own them to get their feedback too.